Nano magnetite decorated multiwalled carbon nanotubes: a robust nanomaterial for enhanced carbon dioxide adsorption

Abstract

It has long been seen as a demanding task to counteract the raised levels of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide (CO₂). Current worldwide research is focused on the investigation of materials which can capture large amounts of CO₂ through physical or chemical adsorption. The present work focuses on a high pressure CO₂ adsorption study of functionalized MWNTs (f-MWNTs) and a magnetite decorated MWNT nanocomposite. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were prepared by a catalytic chemical vapor deposition method followed by purification and functionalization. Magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles were decorated over the f-MWNT surface by a chemical method. The functionalized MWNTs and magnetite decorated MWNTs were characterized by electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. The CO₂ adsorption capacity was measured using high pressure Sieverts' apparatus. A large enhancement in the CO₂ adsorption capacity was achieved by decorating magnetite nanoparticles over the MWNT surface.